George's Desire
by bainnebui
Summary: George Weasley is searching in Knockturn Alley for inspiration for new products. What sort of inspiration is he expected to get from an ordinary mirror?


Knockturn Alley: the dodgiest place in the wizarding Britain. George couldn't help but chuckle at the crudely written graffiti that was painted on one of the windows. There was a time when he too had thought that. Now, he frequented the place almost as much as Diagon Alley.

Don't get the wrong idea; George hadn't become a criminal or anything. It just so happened some of the best suppliers for… unusual magical artefacts were in Knockturn Alley. These more eccentric shops supplied George with both inspiration and materials for knew products for the joke shop.

'Morning, Phil,' George said as he entered _Borgin and Burkes_. The dark artefacts had been confiscated after the war and both Borgin and Burke were arrested. The new owner was almost as untrustworthy as they had been but he did a better job hiding it that the previous owners. George often likened him to Mundungus Fletcher; a grand fellow to have a drink with but you wouldn't want to get caught up in any of his schemes.

'George, just the chap I've been waitin' for,' Phil said in a thick cockney accent whilst rubbing his hands together mischievously. He was a short bald man who was missing more teeth than he had left. He wore a grubby, floor length cloak even in the height of summer. George suspected he kept his most valuable stock in that coat although he had never been offered anything from it.

'What do you have for me, Phil?' George asked. He didn't like spending more time than necessary in the shop lest people get the wrong idea and his business' name be tarnished.

'Water from Loch Ness,' he said holding up a vial of murky water. 'It's meant to be good for causing hallucinations.'

'Eh… I think I'll pass on that one. I can't see hallucinogenic products being too popular with parents. Anything else?'

Phil went to a shelf at the back of the room and picked a small tin box off the bottom shelf. Some brown substance had leaked onto the tin and he quickly wiped it with his sleeve before handing it to George. George took it cautiously. He opened carefully took the lid off to reveal a single tooth no larger than a baby's tooth.

'What is it?' George asked.

'It's a boggart tooth,' Phil said. 'Could be useful for changing appearance products, eh?' He was looking at George expectantly.

'I didn't know boggarts had teeth,' George said raising an eyebrow.

'They might,' Phil said indignantly. 'Nobody has ever seen what one looks like.'

George laughed. 'Nice try, Phil. You'll be trying to sell me nargle venom next. What do you take me for?' He handed him back the box. Phil smirked slightly. 'You'd be surprised how many of these I've already sold.'

'Come on, Phil. You know me. Show me something good,' George goaded. 'I need inspiration more than anything at the minute.'

Phil looked thoughtful for a moment. 'I do have something. It was found in a raid of one of the Death Eater's houses. I'm not saying how it came to be in my possession-'

'Of course not,' George interjected smiling. He had an unspoken deal with Phil not to rat him out and Phil would provide him with the good stuff.

Phil eyed George warily. 'I don't know if this is something you want to be associating yourself with. I keep it in the back.'

'Is it dark magic?'

'Not that I can tell,' Phil said cautiously. George would buy items off the black market but he would never stoop so low as to purchase anything dark. He had experienced cursed objects first hand with that blasted diary Ginny had in her first year. He would never get involved with anything like that and he definitely wouldn't use or take influence from dark magic in any of his products.

'If it's not dark magic, why do you have to hide it?' George asked curiously.

Phil shifted uncomfortably. 'It's almost definitely stolen,' he blurted out. This did not surprise George. Much of what Phil sold was stolen. That didn't bother George that much if it could help him develop a brand new product.

'Lead the way.'

Phil walked to the door of the shop and stepped out onto the street. He looked around the street before scurrying inside and locking the door behind him. George couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't know how Phil hadn't already been caught. He acted more suspicious than anyone George had ever met.

He led George through the old wooden door at the back of the shop into the store room. The room reminded George of the hall of lost objects in the Room of Requirement. He and Fred had hidden much evidence in there in their days at Hogwarts. The walls were lined with shelves stacked high with boxes and various objects. To get to the back of the room where he was being lead, George had to manoeuvre his way around a multitude of things from old furniture to suits of armour.

'This is it,' Phil said as they reached the back of the room.

'This pile of mouldy cauldrons?' asked George indicating to the battered stack of cauldrons on his right hand side.

'No, this,' Phil said dramatically pulling a sheet to expose an old looking mirror. It was taller than George with a large ornate frame. Inscribed across the frame was _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. _

'This is the Mirror of Erised.'

'What does it do?' asked George curiously. It certainly was a grand looking mirror but it looked expensive. George wasn't willing to pay so much money unless he would make a profit in the end.

'This mirror shows you what you desire more than anything else in the world.'

George was impressed. His mind was already racing with possibilities of products he could make if he could work out how the magic worked in the mirror. 'Does it work?' he asked sceptically.

Phil nodded enthusiastically. 'It does. When I look into the mirror, I see myself surrounded by mountains of gold,' he said with a strangely dreamy smile on his face.

'Other men have said that they have seen loved ones who have passed on or even themselves basking in glory. What every man sees is different. Take a look for yourself.'

George cautiously stood in front of the mirror. He wondered absentmindedly what he would see. Would he too see himself surrounded by riches? Perhaps he's see himself with his future children. Angelina was due any day now.

He stared at himself in the mirror waiting to see his reflection transform into what he desired most. Phil looked at him expectantly. 'What do you see?' he asked.

'It hasn't started working yet,' George said impatiently. Phil appeared taken aback. 'It should work almost instantly. Maybe it's malfunctioning. Let me have a look.' George moved aside and let Phil take his place. A satisfied smile crossed Phil's lips almost instantly. 'No, there I am,' he said happily. 'Looking dapper with my money. Try again.'

Once again George stood in front of the mirror but only his own reflection stared back at him. 'I'm sorry, Phil. I'm not going to buy this. It doesn't work.'

'But it worked for every man I've shown so far,' he said indignantly.

'Not for me, it doesn't,' George said. 'All I see is –'

George's breath caught in his chest. He stared at the reflection in the mirror. At first glance it looked like him but George knew better. The mirror image was about one quarter of an inch taller. He had more freckles than George did. One of his eyes had a single fleck of deep green amidst the clear blue. He had a small scar above his left eyebrow from falling into the edge of a table as a child. Not to mention he had two ears.

He was looking at Fred.

What George Weasley desired more than anything was his twin. Looking in the Mirror of Erised was no different than looking in any other mirror. They all reflected back the one thing George would sacrifice anything to have.

To George Weasley, every mirror was the Mirror of Erised.


End file.
